The Music Department will be heading to SOMEPLACE SPECIAL in 2008. Check back after the holidays!!

Forms

• Over The Counter Medication Form
• Prescription Medication Form
• Permission Slip
• Overnight Medical Report

Medication Use

(from Rob Dice)
Last year, I learned a great deal about managing the medical component of the Spring Trip. The keys to success are PRE-PLANNING and ORGANIZATION.

I recently spent time talking with a representative of the School Board about the HCPSS medication administration policy. Knowledge about the policy and a few "sooner rather than later" activities will make this year's trip even smoother. These include the following:

Getting medication forms signed by a physician and submitted to the trip planners ASAP; and hosting several medication drop off sessions other than the hour before departure. (I hope parents really appreciate this suggestion!)

Here a some key points about medications as we move towards Spring Trip 2007...

Over the Counter Meds

Each student must have an over the counter med form on file that is SIGNED BY A PHYSICIAN so that we will know what should be done for the three common ailments of headache, mild allergic reaction, and stomach ache.
All OTC medication must be received in its ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER'S CONTAINER. To be in compliant with HCPSS policy, do not submit OTC medications in plastic bags. Each OTC medicine container must be labeled with the student's name. (See below about what is planned to facilitate receiving these medications.)

A word about OTC medications... TRAVEL SIZES are encouraged and greatly appreciated. In past years I carried 11 bottles of Pepto-Bismol and administered not a drop! Pepto-Bismol tablets would have been lighter and easier to manage. I will be potentially carrying 3 medications for each of approx. 170 students - over 500 medicine containers in all!

I noticed that the MapleLawn BP Market carries many types of OTC medications in travel-sized envelopes. I know these are a bit more expensive than sending along bottles of medications however, there is no question about labeling with these envelopes.

Prescription Meds

Each student who requires prescription medications during the trip must have a prescription med form on file that is SIGNED BY A PHYSICIAN.

All PRESCRIPTION medication must be received in a container labeled by a pharmacist with the student's name, medication's name, strength, dose, and dosing interval. I suggest contacting your pharmacist before the trip to get a portion of a current prescription counted out and labeled for the exact days of the trip. Discuss this with your pharmacist to be compliant with insurance plan requirements. Alternatively, you can count out doses and drop off a properly labeled bottle with enough doses for the trip. There is something to be said about keeping used-up prescription bottles (no active refills) as these are ideal. I am permitted to return an empty bottle to your student but please note the number in the event the empty bottle is lost if there are active refills on the prescription

BTW, if a physician allows a student to self-administer medications (examples: acne treatment/washes, asthma inhalers), only a form needs to be filed with "Student may self-administer" on it as the student will manage the medication. Some medications are not conducive to self-administration or are schedule (controlled) medications. The trip nurse has final say about self-administered medications.

If you have a HCPSS medication administration form on file in the health room (already signed by a physician) for the school year, the health assistant will provide a copy. You need NOT get another form signed by your physician.

Summary

Again, both forms must be SIGNED BY A PHYSICIAN. These forms are available by clicking on the links above. Please take these forms to your physician for signature well before the trip.

To submit completed forms, please insert them into a business envelope labeled "Trip Nurse" and place the envelope in the Boosters mailbox in the Music Office. BTW, if your child receives medication (prescription OR over-the-counter) during the regular school day and has a form already on file in the Health Room, please email me. Those forms are satisfactory. I will be contacting the Health Room assistant to obtain copies of those students' forms.

Feel free to send in completed OTC as well as PRESCRIPTION forms ASAP but DO NOT send in any medication until drop off dates are announced. Having the forms early will allow me to plan better. Also, I will have PRINTED LABELS for those who will be sending in OTC medications.

BTW, if any medication changes occur between submitting the medication forms and the trip, contact me (see below) so I can amend the form and update my database. Also, if your child visits the doctor in the weeks before the trip, take BOTH forms with you so they can be completed and submitted if necessary.

Med Drop Off

A few weeks before the trip I will announce Medication Drop Off Nights. These will begin the week prior to Pledge Night with the last one being on Pledge Night. These are primarily for receiving OTC medications however I will accept prescription medications also if doing so will not interfere with dosages between drop off and departure. (Hence the rationale for asking your pharmacist to split out and label a portion of a current prescription just for the trip.) Of course, the FINAL drop off session will be that hour prior to departure - and, hopefully, will be less hectic than last year.

Remember that you must supply all OTC medications as well as prescription medications for the trip. Labeled medications will be returned to you upon returning from the trip or soon thereafter. Remember that an adult must retrieve any medication; I cannot give any medication to a student to take home. Please do not ask me to violate this provision within the HCPSS policy.

Call or email Rob Dice with any questions. He is especially interested in ALLERGIES and SPECIAL NEEDS for any student.

For those parents who will also be chaperone's:
You may administer any medication to your child while on the trip. You need to have forms on file but can keep the medication(s) with you and administer on your own. As always, I will be available for "consult" for any student or adult should an issue arise, including removing splinters!

Drop Off Schedule

• TBA